Clark Bar, Made By Necco, Saved From Extinction

Boyer Candy Company in Altoona on Thursday purchased the rights, recipes and equipment for the Clark Bar from an unidentified seller.

The chocolate-coated peanut butter crunch bar was created in Pittsburgh by Irish immigrant D.L. Clark in 1917. The bars were individually wrapped to ship to American troops during World War I. Necco, or New England Confectionery Co., in Revere, Massachusetts, had been producing Clark Bars since the 1990s.

The fate of the Clark Bar and other nostalgic candies such as Necco Wafers and Sweethearts conversation hearts had been thrown into limbo when Necco declared bankruptcy in April. The Necco plant shut down unexpectedly in July.

The company was purchased at an emergency bankruptcy auction in May by the company that saved Twinkies, but it was since sold again and it’s unclear if they’ll continue candy production.

Anthony Forgione, owner of Boyer, which makes Mallo Cups, says might take about six months to get production underway.